Automatic train-stop.



B. PQESTES.

AUTOMATIC TRAIN STOP.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 17, I9I4.

Patented May 16, 1916.

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B. P. ESTES.

AUTOMATIQ TRAIN STOP. APPLICATION H'LED SEPT. 11.1914.

Pdtented May16,1'916 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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BERTRAM I. ESTES, OF QUAN'AH, TEXAS.

AUTOMATIC TRAIN-STOP.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BERTRAM P. Es'rns, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Quanah, in the county of 5 Hardeman, State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Train-Stops, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates broadly to automatic train stops, and more particularly to a system operable in connection with well known air-brake systems to apply the airbrakes, and shut off the power when an accident of a predetermined character occurs.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a train control system by means of which by an application of an ail-brake automatically shuts off the power.

A further and more particular object of this invention is the provision of a mechanism constituting a control system,by means of which the air-brakes of a train are automatically set when any wheel is derailed.

A still further object of this invention is the provision of a mechanism constituting a system, by means of which the derailment of any wheel of the train automatically sets the air-brakes and closes the throttle valve of the locomotive.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a discharge valve so constructed as to beheld open, when once opened; and to provide frangible connections between the discharge valve and the car axle to prevent breakage of the effective'portions of the system should derailment of the truck detach the truck from the car.

Still. other and further objects of this invention will in part be obvious and will in part be pointed out in the specification hereinafter following, by reference to the accompanying drawings in which like characters are used to represent like parts Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view illusof the truck with a relief valve tapped into the train line. Fig. 2 is a detail view illustrating the position of the connection cooperating with the axle. Fig. 3 is a detail viewof the connecting links. Fig. 4 is a detail view showing a loop. Fig. 5 is a detail view illustrating one form of a discharge valve. Fig. 6' is a detail, cross-section view taken on line A A of Fig. 5.

Specification of Letters Patent.

locomotive throttle valve. Fig. 9 is a plan,

sectional view illustrating one form of three way cut-out valve, which may be used to 7 cut outa portion of ating.

NUIDQIOUS'ClBVlCGS have been designed to the system from operautom'at ically apply the air-brakes in case Such devices also include X .70- j of derailment. a discharge valve in the train line which is operated when the wheels leave the rail.

Heretofore, so far as applicant is aware,

there have been no mechanisms devised for cutting off the power when a car wheel of a train has been derailed.

In such systems as have been designed, if a truck is thrown completely from beneath the car the opening and closing of the Patented May 16, 1916.

Application filed September 17, 1914. Serial No. 862,185.

discharge valve occupies such a short interval of time that such systems are substantially ineffective. The system which will be hereinafter described more in detail by referring to the drawings is an improvement over automatic stops of this character,

as have herein-before been spebified, by insuring the continued operation of the system when once it is started, therehymaking certain an effective application of the brakes and automatically closing the engineers throttle valve, thus preventing thelocomotive from pulling out the draw-bars in the ear-son which the brakes have been automatically set to emergency.

The invention herein, disclosed also provides a system by means of which the throt tle, valve may be automatically closed by application of the brakes in service, and thus providing that under ordinary service conditions brakes will never be operated against the effective power of the engine.

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, the train line pipe 1, in each car, is tapped at substantially the center thereof, and a discharge valve 2 is connected to the said train line by any convenient means, as for example, the short pipe 4'2 At each end of the car and preferably lsubstantially above each axle a bell crank 5, is attached to the car underframing, and in wood cars maybe attached by being bolted directly to the center sill by means-of a bolt 6,,which constitutes a pivot for the bell-crank. A contractile spring 7,

of considerable strength, is attached at one end to the car underframing, and at the other end to the bell-crank 5, and to the same end of the'bell-erank is attached a link 8, by means of a pin and slot connection. These vertical links 8 carry at their lower end loops 9, which encircle the-car axle 10 at substantially the mid-portion thereof. The connection between the loops 9, and the vertical links 8, is preferably a serrated connection including a bolt and a slot to allow for vertical adjustment, as is shown in detail in Figs. 3 and 4. The lower portion-of the loops 9 is preferably provided with short, outstanding bearing cups 11, which are hollowed out as at 12, (Fig. 4) to provide receptacles which may be filled with hard oil or other convenient lubricant, to prevent excessive wear of the loop should it be drawn against the akle of the car while the car is in service. The discharge valve, (Fig. 5), may be of any relief valve type, but preferably comprises a valve provided with a stem small bracket 17, which carries structedto break 'when 14, which carries a valve-head 15, which is normally seated in position by the compression spring, 16. Preferably the valve orifice when opened full is of the same diameter and the same area as the emergency port of the engineers valve. This construction operates to set up a condition in the train line pipe, when the discharge valve is opened, which is exactly analogous to set ting the engineers valve to emergency. The discharge valve may be provided with a crating lever-arm 18. This armis maintained. in position between spring-pressed guide stops 19, which spring together over the top of the lever-arms 18, when the said lever-arm is operated to open the discharge valve. This structure retains the discharge valve open when once the system has been operated, until the stops 19 are manually released, and the lever 18 returned to normal position.

Again referring to Fig. 1,the lower ends of the bell-crank 5 are connected by means of links 20, with frangible springs 21, which are connected to the ends of the operating lever 18. These frangible springs 21 are of sufiicient strength to insure the operation of the lever 18, but these springs 21 are conexcessive pull is reached. The to prevent a truck de-railment from injuring or destroying the discharge valve and its connections.

-Referring now more particularly to Figs. 7 and 8, wherein the engineers throttle valve 22 is illustrated as beingmounted on the locomotive boiler 24, in the usual manner, and is provided with the usual notched are 26, in the notches of which the manually controlled dog 27, is adapted to be seated to a short op-' purpose of'thes e breaking is tached to the locomotive structure in any convenient manner, and is provided with a piston 31, to which is connected the leverarm 32, one end of which is mounted to rotate on the bracket 34:, which is attached to the side of the locomotive boiler. Theconnection between the piston 31 and the leverarm 32, is preferably a pin and slot connection, and a coil spring 35 is preferably mounted'between the piston and the end of the cylinder to retain the parts in normalposition. One end of the lever-arm 32, is connected to the small bell-crank 29 on the throttle lever. The air cylinder 30 is connected by means of a small pipe 36 with the locomotive brake cylinder pipe 37, which through the well-known and ordinary airbrake construction leads to the brake cylinders on the locomotive, which are ordinarily operatively connected with the train line pipe. The ordinary well known air brake construction previously referred to, and which is herein disclosed, is of a character wherein when pressure in the train line is reduced, air is automatically supplied to the brake cylinders on the locomotive, and also when the engineers valve is operated to set the train brakes, air is supplied to the locomotive brakes. The locomotive brake cylinder pipe is also connected through an engineer valve by means of which the locomotive brakes, or the locomotive and the train brakes, are controlled.

, From the foregoing, it is obvious that if the discharge .valve 2, (Fig. 1), is operated to reduce train line pressure the brakes of the cars and also the locomotive will be set. The setting of the brakes on the locomotive introduces air under pressure directly to the locomotive'brake cylinders, Since as above explained, the pipe 37 is directly connected with the locomotive cylinders, the pressure is the same in this pipe as it is in the cylinders and this pressure through the pipe 36is communicated immediately to the air cylinder 30, thereby driving forward the piston 31 which through the lever-arm 32, and connections will pull the bell-crank 29 to release the (log 27 and further movement will pull the throttle lever to close the throttle. It will also be noted that an application of the air through theengineefis valve 38 will introduce pressure in the locomotive brake cylinder pipe 37, by means of the air cylinder 30, and connected parts, the throttle is alltomatically closed sothat in running it is only necessary for the engineer to kee his hand upon the lever controlling engineers valve. In case it is desirableto out out the automatic throttle control, as may sometimes be the case in switching, a small valve 39, is introduced in the pipe 36, to cut out the automatic connection when desired.

The small valve 39, is preferably a three way valve as is'illustrated in. Fig. 9. This construction permits the air cylinder 30 to be open to atmosphere through the port 40, when it is desired to cut out the atmospheric operation in the cylinder 30. The

' compression spring 35, in the air cylinder comprising in combination, a train line pipe of an air-brake system, a-relief valve operatively connected with said train line pipe, said relief valve being provided with a port having the same area as the emergency port, and connections intermediate said relief valve and the car axle, said connections including a frangible member constructed to break under excessive stress.

2. In a device of the character described in combination, atrain line. pipe of an airbrake system, a relief'valve operatively connected with said train line pipe, said relief valve being provided with a port having the same efiective area as the emergency port, connections intermediate said relief valve the said car.

and the car aides to operate saidvalve when a car wheel is de-railed, and means operatively connected with the train line plpe valve is operated.

3. In a device of the character described in combination, a train line pipe of an airbrake system, a relief valve operatively connected with said train line p ipe,'there being one relief valve for each car, and means operatively connecting each axle of the car with the said relief valve, said means including frangible members adapts to break under excessive stress to prevent sn'jury to the said relief valve and. connected parts.

4:. In a device of the character described in combination a. power mechanism for propelling a train, said train including cars, means carried by, said cars for automatically' rendering said power mechanism inoperative to propel said train when a car wheel is derailed,'and a device for rendering said means inoperative at the will of an operator.

5. In a device of the character described in combination a' train comprising cars, a

power mechanism for drawing said cars, and means for rendering said power mechanism inefiective to draw said train when a caiwheel is derailed, said means including devices carried by a car and operatively connected to certain otth wheels beneath BERTRAM P. ESTES."

Witnesses:

GEORGE W. RAMSEY, EARLE L. PARMELEE.

my!" e2 patent in be obtainedter five cents each, by addressing'the Oommilshnen dz 2mm,

I Washington. D. c."

40 to close the throttle valve when said relief 

